Review: Devialet Gemini II
Hands-down, the best sound
As someone who reviews wireless earbuds for a living, I get asked one question more than any other: “So, which are the best wireless earbuds?”
In reply, I typically hedge. I say, “there’s really no such thing as the best wireless earbuds, there’s only the best wireless earbuds for you.” And I stand by that. Everyone has different needs, different budgets, and perhaps most importantly, different ears.
However, if someone were to ask me, “which wireless earbuds have the best sound?” My unequivocal answer as of May 2026, is Devialet’s Gemini II.
Product Score: 4.5/5
Pros:
Fabulous sound quality
Excellent active noise cancellation
Cons:
Very expensive
Battery life is shorter than most flagship wireless earbuds
Before I go any further, let’s address the elephant in the room. The Gemini II are among the most expensive wireless earbuds you can buy. At $499 USD, they’re double the price of Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 ($249). They sell at a considerable premium over flagship models that have been universally praised for their performance, like Sony’s WF-1000XM6 ($330), Technics’ EAH-AZ100 ($300), and Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 ($299).
A lot of reviewers think the Gemini II are overpriced. On paper, it’s hard to disagree. In terms of features, Devialet’s earbuds offer nothing you can’t get elsewhere for less. Wireless charging, ANC, transparency mode, Bluetooth Multipoint, wear sensors, and app-based adjustments—these are all table stakes. In some cases, the Gemini II fall substantially under the bar: battery life, at five hours per charge and 22 hours total with the case, is at the lowest end of the market. The lack of advanced Bluetooth codecs like aptX Adaptive, LHDC, or LDAC, is a surprise considering that these are supposedly aimed at very discerning listeners.
The buds are IPX4 protected from splashes of water, and though I find them very comfy and stable, they’re nothing special in the fit department. In fact, I can see a lot of folks with small ears having trouble with their size and shape, which fills a lot more of my ear’s concha than say, the AirPods Pro 3 or QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2.
Devialet Gemini II call quality sample recording
In terms of call quality, I’d argue they’re in the lower tier of performance: Fine for casual conversations in relatively quiet spaces, but not the buds you want to use for mission critical calls while walking busy downtown streets.
However, the Gemini II’s noise cancellation is excellent. I’ve used them everywhere — at the gym, on buses and subways, on airplanes — and the amount of hush they can bring to these locations is every bit as good as you’ll get from Sony or Bose.
And then there’s the sound. Wow.
I’m not saying that if you pay 50% more ($170) than the price of the Sony WF-1000XM6, you’ll get 50% better sound quality. But I am saying that if you could swap back and forth between them (as I did) I think you’d hear the difference.
Of all the wireless earbuds I’ve tested, none can match the Gemini II’s sheer clarity and precision. When audiophiles use the term “transparent” they mean that the devices that generate your music (smartphone, DAC, amplifier, speakers, or headphones) seem to disappear, leaving you with just pure sound. It’s a statement about fidelity and realism, too. When new details begin to emerge from recordings you know like the back of your hand, or an instrument seems to occupy its own space — as though it were there in the room with you — that’s a transparent listening experience. It also happens to be what the Gemini II excel at.
When you want to reach out and touch the Fender Stratocaster that you’re convinced is floating a few feet above and to the right of your head, it’s no joke; it’s sublime.
The balance of frequencies using Devialet’s default EQ is damn near perfect in my opinion. “Articulate” is a word that’s sometimes used when assessing bass and it’s a fitting description for the Gemini II. They handily avoid the bass trap — where over exuberance leads to a smearing of details — with tightly rendered lows and superb resonance. Whether it’s the haunting groans of a grand piano’s deepest notes or the poetic chaos of Flea’s signature bass lines, you can get lost in the lows.
I know a lot of brands are leaning into spatial audio processing, both with and without head-tracking, but the Gemini II’s soundstage is proof that two-channel stereo can be dazzlingly immersive and even more satisfying when heard through a great set of speakers (or in this case, earbuds). I often joke that a truly precise soundstage — no matter how wide or tall you perceive it to be — makes you feel like you could take a measuring tape and determine the exact distance and direction between you and the musicians. When you want to reach out and touch the Fender Stratocaster that you’re convinced is floating a few feet above and to the right of your head, it’s no joke; it’s sublime.
I could go on to describe vocals, brass, snares, and any number of other elements, but I think that would just belabour the point. Instead, let me say this …
At any given time, I have between 75-100 sets of earbuds and headphones of both wired and wireless varieties in my collection. That’s not a brag, it’s the reality of being a reviewer. Most of the time, when a new product arrives, I use it for a week or two, write about my experience, and put it away. If it comes back out at all, it’s because I need to compare it to a new arrival.
But ever since the Devialet Gemini II showed up, they have become my go-to choice. If I’m not actively reviewing another model, I reach for the Gemini. Of all the wireless earbuds I’ve received for evaluation, few would be truly missed if I had to send them back or they got damaged. If Devialet asked me to return the Gemini II, which it absolutely could do (I offer to return all samples after my evaluation), I would feel a genuine loss, and that’s the biggest compliment I can pay any product that comes across my desk.
Would I like more battery life? Sure. Who has ever said, “no thanks,” to that question? But it’s not a deal-breaker. Am I disappointed (and maybe a little surprised) that Devialet didn’t include LDAC or AptX Adaptive/Lossless codecs? Definitely. These codecs can’t make an OK-sounding set of earbuds great, but they can take a great-sounding set and make them better. Still, the Gemini II demonstrate that even AAC, the lossy, bitrate-limited codec that’s on nearly every phone in the world, can sound awesome. Android users, you get a small bump in overall smoothness, thanks to aptX.
The Devialet Gemini II are pricey, no question. That means they’re not going to be the best wireless earbuds for a lot of people. But for those who are after the best possible sound — even if it’s only a small improvement over earbuds that cost less — the Gemini II are nothing short of spectacular.
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